A Hero's Defeat
by SierraAccent
Summary: Finally updated! Harry Potter was broken by Voldemort or so everyone believes. Harry has a plan and he will do anything to see it through.
1. Chapter 1

The ice cold glares hadn't stopped; Ron Weasley figured they never would. Why should they? Especially after everything that he had done?

Why should he even let Harry forgive him? He didn't deserve to be forgiven, none of them did. They'd all done the same thing. They had put too much pressure on Harry, the Boy-Who-Lived. What did that matter to anyone anymore?

That Harry was gone now, replaced by this cold shell of the boy who'd once defeated the darkest wizard of all time. And again, and again.

Now, Voldemort had defeated him. He hadn't killed Harry, no, that would've been too easy in Ron's opinion. He'd broken him. Now, as Ron watched his friend standing near the edge of the Forbidden Forest, he wondered if anything was worth the pain that Harry had suffered.

Everyone in the Wizarding world had taken Harry Potter for granted. Everyone knew that he would save them from Voldemort like he had before. No one cared to stop and think that he needed to be protected from his enemies. No one, except Dumbledore. 

The old wizard was the only one who had thought to make sure that Harry was protected from Voldemort and Death Eaters. He'd used a spell, a Dark spell that tied the protection into his own life force. The protection failed when Voldemort killed Dumbledore and Hogwarts had been seized.

Few had survived that day. Most of the professors had been killed or severely injured. The rest had lost hope after Dumbledore fell. Sirius Black and Remus Lupin stepped in to try to get the school back in shape, but no one had the heart to do it. Parents had taken their children far away, knowing that if Voldemort could kill Dumbledore, no one was safe.

Two weeks after the attack, Sirius and Remus had been putting wards up when Death Eaters attacked again. Both had disappeared. 

From that point, Ron had watched Harry sink deeper into depression. He didn't do anything to help and three days later, Harry was gone.

Many had figured that he ran out of fear of Voldemort, causing them to turn to the Dark Lord. Few believed that all hope was lost, that Harry had given up and they too, became Death Eaters.

Almost one year after Harry's disappearance, he returned, broken, bloody, and bruised. No one knew what had happened, but all could wager a guess.

Voldemort.

Even now, people refused to call him by any of his names. Ron no longer had that fear, no since he'd become best friends with the boy-who-lived. What did that friendship mean now? What did anything mean now?

Voldemort had won the war. Nothing mattered. Nothing at all.

It didn't take Harry Potter's death to secure his victory. Ron felt his insides go cold at the thought. He'd done much worse. He'd made the entire Wizarding world to believe that Harry was no better then he, that Harry too could be evil.

And, he had been. After Harry had recovered from his injuries, he once again faced Voldemort. He had taunted Harry until Harry had attacked. _Avada Kedavra_. 

Too late, they had realized that it had been an elaborate trick. Voldemort had used a glamorie spell on Remus and had placed him under the Imperious curse. In his weakened condition, the werewolf couldn't fight it.

Harry had killed one of the few people that had loved him despite everything else.

It had destroyed him.

Now, six months later, Ron watched his friend and silently cried.

__

The innocent are always the first to die…as it has been in the past and shall forever be.

****

A/N: Okay, most of this is random typing, no plot as of yet but I may get a few ideas. *Review*

~SA~


	2. Chapter 2

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A/N: By popular demand, I've decided to add on to this story. It won't be updated as muck as History's Repetition, but it will be often enough. I've got a few ideas…but I need to know who should Voldemort's weapon be???

~SA~

A Hero's Defeat

__

Chapter 2

Ron couldn't stand it anymore. He turned and walked back to the castle. Because of the attack, many parts of the school needed to be repaired and that was the current project of those few living members of the Order of the Phoenix. 

"Ron!"

He looked up to see his younger sister. Something had happened. He could tell by the look on her face. What more could Voldemort do to them? He had stolen their hopes, their families, their lives. 

"What's happened?" he asked, dreading her answer.

"Draco was killed," she said, her voice cracking. "Voldemort found out…His body just appeared at the doors." She collapsed into his arms sobbing.

What more could they possibly take?

~~~

The Ministry of Magic had been the first to fall. After killing Cornelius Fudge and half of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement, Voldemort had turned his attention to the Muggles watching. Three hundred people had died that day; magical and Muggle alike. No one had been safe.

Now, more than two years later, George Weasley walked into the rebuilt Ministry and to his office. In his Hogwarts days, if someone had told him that one day he would be the Minister of Magic, he would have laughed until he turned blue.

Now, after everything that had happened, laughing was the last thing that he felt like doing. He felt like dying.

Why did life have to be so hard? Why did everyone have to die?

George had watched his family being tortured for hours before Voldemort got bored and killed most of them. Only he, Ron, Ginny, and Charlie had been released, or had escaped, aided by Draco Malfoy. 

George sank into the chair behind his desk. 

After Dumbledore had been killed, the public needed guidance but the Ministry was gone too. George and Percy had stepped forward to help and Percy was immediately named Minister, but after his death, the people were once again without a leader and everyone wanted a Weasley in office for some bizarre reason. Ron and Ginny were busy at Hogwarts and Charlie had taken over the Order of the Phoenix.

There had been no one else left. Being in control of so many people would have thrilled the once carefree Weasley twin, but now, it just made him sick. He'd give it all up just to have his family back. 

"Sir?" a woman asked, poking her head in. "Your brother is here." George nodded and she left. Seconds later the door opened again and Ron walked in, his face drawn.

"Draco's dead. I've already told Charlie."

Of all the things Ron could have said, George hadn't expected that. Draco had been the only spy still in Voldemort's Inner Circle. And now he was dead. They had no way of knowing who or when the Dark Lord was going to attack. _Well_, George thought cynically, _it's not like he needs to attack anyone anymore._

~~~

Harry Potter was still standing at the edge of the Forbidden Forest. He hadn't moved an inch, not even when Ginny had told him about Draco Malfoy.

Why should he care that Malfoy had gotten himself killed? It didn't matter that Malfoy was the only reason the remaining Weasleys were alive. 

Nothing mattered except what he had done. He killed Remus and condemned his godfather to even more torture and eventual death. He couldn't do anything to stop it.

Voldemort had won. The people around Harry couldn't see that small fact. He was the only person who could kill Voldemort and honestly, he didn't want to anymore.

Things had been so much simpler before he entered the world of wizards. Sure, his life had been hell, but at least while he was at the Dursleys' he hadn't known of the threat of Voldemort, hadn't known that pain.

Now he knew. Everyone was dead now, because of him. His parents, Remus, Sirius, Arthur, Molly, Fred, Bill, Percy, Malfoy, Dumbledore, McGonagall, and Snape. They were all dead.

And Harry blamed himself. It was all his fault as Voldemort had reminded him so many times during the year he'd been the Dark Lord's captive in Azkaban.

__

"Hope never dies."

Harry looked around. He knew that he'd heard a woman's voice but no one was there.

__

"Remember the past."

Who was speaking? No one. He was going crazy. That had to be it. All that time under the Cruciatus curse and around the Dementors had drove him to insanity; it just hadn't displayed itself until now.

__

"Some things never change…"

Harry continued to look around. Who was that?

__

"…and some things do."

Harry sucked in a breath. Those words. He'd heard them before, but where?

Then he remembered. Remus. His old _dead_ mentor had spoken those words. Why was he hearing them now? Harry knew that no one was insane enough to go into the forest alone.

__

Insanity. 

Perhaps he was insane. Voldemort's torture would drive people insane.

__

"You will break," Lucius Malfoy had said. _"Everyone breaks."_

And Harry Potter, the boy-who-lived had broken. Now, the world was Voldemort's.

~~~

In the cold confines of the former wizard prison, Azkaban, a man suddenly woke from an unconscious slumber. 

Voldemort laugh triumphantly in the distance.


	3. Chapter 3

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A Hero's Defeat

Chapter Three

Ron Weasley dropped to the ground to avoid a curse thrown by a Death Eater. He Apparated to Hogsmeade and right into a crowd of Death Eaters.

__

"Stupefy." 

__

"Crucio."

"Imperio."

"Avada Kedavra."

Ron dodged each curse with ease, his years of Quidditch practice serving him well. He was facing ten Death Eaters now, having stunned three.

What was going on?

Then a voice from behind him. He didn't have time to react. _"Stupefy."_

~~~

Ginny Weasley nodded silently to the people who had come to take Draco Malfoy's body from the front entrance of the former school. How had things gotten so out of control?

Ginny sat down on the front steps of the school and looked out over the grounds. She saw Harry heading towards her from the forest and groaned inaudibly. She loved Harry, she really did, but since he'd been free of Voldemort, he wasn't himself.

Ginny knew that he'd never be himself again. He was too far gone.

"Ginny," he said. She looked at him, the clearness in his eyes was unnerving. She hadn't seen his eyes like that in a long time.

"What?" she asked.

"Ron's in trouble."

She jumped up, thousands of possibilities running through her mind. Voldemort had been after Ron for a long time because he was Harry's friend, but now Ron's stake in the war had changed. He was one of those leading the rebellion and he was a threat to Voldemort that had to be dealt with.

If he had Ron now what would that mean for the Order? For everyone?

"How do you know?" she asked Harry who was now leaning casually against the doors.

"I just do," he replied before going inside.

Ginny flinched at the coldness in his voice. _Ron_. She couldn't lose her brother, not now.

Not ever.

~~~

Peter Pettigrew had wanted nothing to do with the Dark Lord's new plan to finish off Harry Potter. One would have thought that Potter had been destroyed.

But not Lord Voldemort. 

His newest plan was the most insane, yet the most brilliant thing that anyone could have created. 

Doubts still plagued the former Marauder, though. Something had to go wrong. It wasn't that he doubted the Dark Lord's abilities, but there was something there that wasn't right.

They were going to fail.

__

Hope never dies.

The animagus remembered those words. Potter had spoken them mere hours before he'd broken. What had he meant?

~~~

When Ron woke up, he immediately realized that he was in deep trouble. Okay, surrounded by Death Eaters was not a good or fun thing.

And that was where he was; surrounded my Death Eaters and facing Voldemort.

What fun. 

Voldemort raised his wand. This was going to hurt.

__

"Crucio."

~~~

Harry walked towards the room that he'd been staying in while he'd been at Hogwarts. Ginny had decorated it in Gryffindor colors.

Harry hated the color red. It reminded him to much of blood.

__

Of course, he thought cynically,_ one would have to know that I do hate red and why._

He laughed. It wasn't a happy sound, instead dark, more evil. Scary.

He sat down at the desk and pulled out a tattered notebook and opened it up to the first blank page. Grabbing a quill, he began to write.

__

Time seems to have stood still. Things haven't changed. Draco Malfoy's dead and Voldemort has Ron for some sick plan that I'm certain involves me. 

I've effectively gotten everyone to believe that I'm insane, although it Hermione were here, she'd see right through it. I wonder where she is.

Ginny is starting to question things. She didn't come right out with an interrogation but I could see it in her eyes when I told her that Voldemort had Ron.

Voldemort has somehow figured out the truth. I did everything that I had to. The Death Eaters believe it, so why doesn't Voldemort?

Unless he knew all along what I was doing? That is possible. Sirius could have told him about the Occlumency. 

Sirius. Where is he? I have every right to believe that he's dead, but I don't think that's true. It's almost like I can feel him.

Something is about to happen. I know it, but I don't know what. I can't risk investigating because Ginny and Charlie would find out.

It looks like I'm going to have to disappear for a few days. I need to get into Grimmauld Place without anyone in the Order knowing. It's going to be next to impossible.

Harry closed the book and charmed it to look like a potions text. No one could know the truth about his insanity. His plan had worked until today, until he heard the woman in the forest and until he realized that he could no longer hide behind a mask.

He was Harry Potter and he was the only person who had the power to kill Voldemort.

But first, he needed to find his godfather.

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A/N: Okay, this looks like a great place to end it. This story is getting interesting. Thank you all for the reviews and I'll try to have another chapter out by Monday or Tuesday.

~SA~


	4. Chapter 4

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A Hero's Defeat

Chapter Four

The air around the castle had shifted since Harry had disappeared to his rooms. It weighed him down as he walked towards the kitchens for an early dinner. Everything was quiet, something Harry could never get used to the castle being.

But things had changed since the second war had begun. Too many people were dead now. Everyone was dead. More people were going to die before the war was over and Voldemort was dead.

After getting a quick dinner from Dobby, Harry walked down to the dungeons. Before Snape was killed, Harry had spent a great deal of time in the dungeons looking at the Potions Master's collection of texts about the Dark Arts. Now, he head to sneak down there. No one else knew that passwords to the wards placed around the door and Snape had ordered Harry not to tell anyone else.

He, too, had known the truth.

There was no way that the Dark Lord was going to be beat with Light magic. Snape had been the one to suggest Harry's education of the Dark Arts. Since that time, Harry had found several useful spells for his final confrontation with Voldemort.

One of which was his mind barrier. It was a lot stronger than Occlumency and it was impenetrable. Harry had only been contemplating mastering it before Voldemort captured him and during the time of his imprisonment, he had mastered the skill and effectively blocked off most of his mind from Voldemort's torture.

But he had sacrificed a small part of his mind and that had been why everyone thought he was insane. It worked. People of the Order spoke around him, not fearing his reactions anymore.

They weren't worried about him knowing their strategies but they did wonder who had saved them those few times. All anyone recalled was seeing a griffon. None knew that that griffon was actually the _insane_ Harry Potter.

~~~

When Ron regained consciousness after his torture session by Voldemort's hand, he realized that he was in a cell in what was most likely Azkaban.

Great.

Now he was going to be tortured by Voldemort until he was killed.

What fun. 

He looked around the cell. The walls were blank, not that he expected them to be painted bright red…maybe dark red or brown for blood. The stone walls were foreboding and depressing. 

Now he just had to wait for the Dementors. 

But as he sat there in the cold dark cell, he couldn't understand why Voldemort would want him now. Even though was one of the leaders of the resistance, he wasn't that important to the fight. All he was trying to do was make Hogwarts a safe-haven again for those with no where else to go.

Was that why Voldemort wanted him? To keep that from happening? It didn't make sense and Ron's mind was too muddled with pain to concentrate.

He had known that the Cruciatus Curse hurt because both Snape and Harry had taught everyone in the order how to work though it by casting it on them. Ron had never experienced it the Voldemort cast it.

Full of hate.

The cell door opened. Ron expected Voldemort or one of the Death Eaters.

He never expected to see Harry.

~~~

Pettigrew approached his master silently. The snake-man was watching and listening as his plan came to fruition. Screams of pain had haunted Peter's ears since he'd returned to his post as Death Eater almost ten years ago. 

Things had changed since then. Now his master was obsessed with destroying everything associated with Harry Potter.

As far as Peter could tell, it was working. Ron Weasley would be the second of Harry's family to break.

~~~

Harry chose a book from the shelf that he'd passed over a few times because if the subject. _The History of Glamorie._

Harry felt that he would need it now if he had to face Voldemort while he still had Ron hidden away on Azkaban. Maybe he could find a way to counter the spell.

He settled himself into a chair and began to read. He had little time before Ginny would start looking for him. 

~~~

Hours after the Ron Weasley's screams had stopped, a man walked the halls of Azkaban. He wore shaggy black robes and his black hair needed to be cut. His eyes were dead, void of the spark that had been there in his youth.

Now, every part of that man was dead. He was more like a robot than anything else.

That could mean one of two things for people, Muggle and wizard alike; he could either be very submissive, or the most dangerous person in the world.

Right this second, he was the latter. Though his mind was no longer his, he knew was that his former friend needed to pay for his betrayal.

He stopped outside the door of a cell in the deepest part of the prison, where Voldemort kept any wizard or witch who happened to be connected to the Order of the Phoenix.

He muttered the password and walked inside. "Well," he sneered, seeing the unconscious form on the floor. "_Ennervate_."

The figure jerked awake, his eyes searching the room in fear and uncertainty.

"Please," he said. "No more…We were friends."

The man simply glared. "Not anymore. _Crucio._"

~~~

Harry nearly dropped the book he was reading when he heard a tapping on the small window in the dungeon. He stood up and walked over to allow the tawny owl inside. He clearly recognized the owl, belonging to the one person who knew of his current situation.

He took the letter and opened it, immediately recognizing the scrawl.

__

Harry, there's been a development. We need to meet where they gather tonight.

S.

Harry committed the letter to memory before setting his wand to it and reducing the parchment to ash. What had happened to cause such a prompt meeting? They usually only met once every few weeks and the last meeting had been the week before.

So what was going on?

Harry sighed and went back to the book. He'd been reading on a particularly Dark form of glamorie spells that dealt with changing a person's perception so that they would see another person, possibly an enemy. It was used as a sort of mask on the eyes. He was still slightly confused by it, though he doubted that he would ever have to experience that form of the spell in any context. Harry was intrigued by it for some strange reason. 

With a sigh, he replaced the book and readied himself to leave. He checked the hall outside Snape's room to make sure that no one was around. No one was and he made his way back to his own room only to find Ginny waiting for him.

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A/N: Well, I'll leave this one here. I will explain the dark charm later as I was finding it difficult to explain here. So there. Thanks for the reviews. Keep 'em coming.

~SA~


	5. Chapter 5

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A Hero's Defeat

Chapter Five

"Hello, Ginny," Harry said off-handedly, placing his mental shield back in place.

"Harry, I need to know some things," she began standing up. He waved her off and walked to his desk. He knew that she wouldn't give up and he knew what she wanted to know. 

He couldn't tell her _how_ he had known that Voldemort had captured Ron. He just _knew_, like he knew that Sirius couldn't be dead but he would be if he wasn't found soon.

For that reason alone, he was glad that he'd be meeting his one friend in all of this. The one person who had given up everything to make sure that he survived long enough to kill Voldemort even though he's often wanted to kill Harry himself.

"What?" Harry asked.

"How did you know about Ron?"

"The same way I know everything Voldemort has planned."

"But you weren't asleep. How did you get into Voldemort's mind?"

"I just can, Ginny. Now go. I have things to do."

"I don't know what they could be," she said coldly. "It makes me wonder, Harry. No one escapes the Dark Lord, but you did."

"I've done it before."

"That's my point. How do you do it?"

Harry sighed. He should've kept his mouth shut. "You think that I'm one of Voldemort's followers, don't you?"

"Honestly, Harry, yes, I do. I think that he done something to you in Azkaban. You're not the same person that you used to be. Now you're like this. You're acting evil. You keep leaving with no explanation." She had tears in her eyes. Harry could understand why. She thought that he was a Death Eater. Oh well. One broken heart is much better than the destruction of the wizarding world.

Maybe he _should_ make the Order believe that he was a Death Eater. Perhaps that could make things move a little faster. He'd have to disappear, but he'd be able to get to Grimmauld Place without the Order finding out.

Perhaps.

"Do you believe that I'd become a Death Eater?" he asked her, his eyes blank.

"I don't know, Harry."

"Do you want to know how I knew Voldemort had Ron?"

She nodded silently. Harry sighed.

"While I was in Azkaban, I began to understand how Voldemort thinks. When you told me that Draco was dead and that Ron had left to tell George, I knew why Voldemort had the body appear here. He wanted Ron away from the protection of the castle. He knew that he'd have to Apparate to Hogsmeade and that he'd most likely be alone, if not, than whoever he was with would be easy enough to handle."

Ginny stared at him and silently nodded. She understood.

"Now go, Ginny. I have things to do."

~~~

Ginny walked back to her rooms, thinking about Harry's explanation of Ron's disappearance. It made sense but something was nagging her.

Harry didn't sound insane while he was explaining it. He sounded logical, calculating.

And he had avoided her hints about him being a Death Eater. That could only mean one thing.

Harry Potter was a Death Eater. He had to be.

~~~

Charlie Weasley sighed and ran his hand through his hair. Since he had taken over the leadership of the Order of the Phoenix, his time had consisted of sleepless nights and endless hours of plotting and planning.

Now, he had to find a new place to serve as headquarters for the Order. It was proving to be quite a difficult task. There wasn't a safe place to hide anymore except Hogwarts and Charlie refused to put any more of the Order's wizards and witches near Harry Potter.

It wasn't that he didn't _trust_ Harry; it was that he'd spent so much time with Voldemort when Voldemort had _wanted_ him dead. Why wouldn't Voldemort kill him when he had the chance? It just didn't make any sense.

When Charlie had been told of Draco's death, he'd immediately suspected, though guiltily, that Harry had had something to do with it. That feeling had intensified when Ginny told him that Harry had said that Ron had been captured by Voldemort. How could he have known if he wasn't a Death Eater?

But then the logical part of his mind kicked in. Harry hated Voldemort. Even though he was almost catatonic at times, the hatred was still there.

"What is going on?" he mused aloud. 

"You're talking to yourself," a woman's voice playfully said.

"Is there a reason you're here, Tonks?" he asked as the woman sat beside him. She took his hand in her and brought it to her lips and kissed it gently.

"I just saw Draco's body, she whispered." He…" she stopped. He nodded.

"He knew the risks, Tonks."

"I know, but he was the only family I had left on this side of the war. Sirius is gone…I don't know what we're doing anymore."

"Neither do I, Tonks." He sighed. "We need to go to Hogwarts for the meeting. Are you ready?" She nodded and smiled sadly.

__

Could it be that this is all for nothing?

~~~

Harry made sure that everyone in the castle was at the meeting before he left his room. He knew that Charlie and Tonks had put a spell on the door, but it was basic and they didn't know that he still had his wand. They didn't just him, that was obvious, but he didn't care. HE really didn't need their help to kill Voldemort.

He slipped through the corridors silently and left the castle. He changed into the griffin and flew to the whomping willow where he changed back and pressed the knob that stopped the swinging branches long enough for him to slip into the passage.

He followed the tunnel until he came to the opening inside the Shrieking Shack in Hogsmeade.

"You made it," the silky voice said when he entered the room.

"Hello, to you too, Severus. I had to wait for the Order to begin their meeting," Harry replied. The room was dark, he couldn't even see his companion though that did not surprise him. "What has happened?"

"I'm sure that you heard Draco Malfoy was killed."

"Yes."

"By his father."

"Interesting."

"Perhaps. Draco came to me this morning. Don't look so shocked, Harry. It was I who told him how to get the Weasleys away from Voldemort."

"So, does that mean…" Harry trailed off.

"Yes. He is recovering at the manor."

"I see."

"I'm sure you do. I heard that Weasley was captured."

"Yes, earlier today after we heard about Draco."

"You almost blew your cover."

"I know," Harry said irritably. "But I had to tell her something."

"Very well. Is there anything you need?"

"Actually, I was looking at glamorie spells today," Harry said, leaning against the wall. "One caught my eye; _Animadverto Alienus Inimicus_."

The older an thought for a minute. "Voldemort has used it, but it wasn't successful."

"What is it?"

"You might want to sit down, Harry. It's complicated."

Harry conjured up two chairs and sat down in one. His friend gave him a cold look before doing the same. Harry only grinned.

"I'll start with a rough translation of the spell. _Animadverto_ means to perceive; _Alienus_ is someone else; and _Inimicus_ means enemy."

"To perceive someone else as an enemy?" Harry questioned.

"Yes. It is a very complex spell and can only work on those whom are very weak, easily placed under Imperious, or want to believe they're seeing who they think they're seeing."

"I'm not sure I understand."

The older man was silent. "Let's say that Voldemort wanted to trick you into hurting someone you cared about. Weasley, for the sake of argument. He could place the spell on you and you would see your closest friend as whomever Voldemort wanted you to see him as, whoever you would hurt the most."

Harry nodded in grim understanding.

"There is a flaw though."

"What is that?"

"There must be some level of hate present. For you to believe Weasley was your enemy, you would have to hate the person you thought you were seeing. If there isn't a level of hate, the spell won't work."

"I think I understand it now," Harry said. 

"Is there anything else?"

"Perhaps. Ginny believes that I'm a Death Eater and I'm sure that others in the Order suspect it too."

"Just as well," he muttered. "You may have to confirm their suspicions."

Harry nodded. "Maybe. When should I?"

"When they confront you, perhaps before. When you can risk leaving and are sure that you can leave without showing your animagus form."

Harry nodded. "How long are you going to be here?"

"I should return soon. Draco will be ready to start working tomorrow though it will take some time for him to fully heal."

Harry nodded and checked his watch. "I need to get back, the meeting should be ending soon."

"Yes. Be careful, Harry. Voldemort is planning something, I'm sure."

"I'm always careful, Severus."

"Cockiness will get you killed, Potter."

"I'm not being cocky, Snape, I'm being truthful." With that, the young man left the room and did not see the ghost of a smile cross the Potion Master's face.

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A/N: Well this is a great place to stop. Wow…two chapters in as many days. 

I hope I explained the _Inimicus_ spell well enough as it will play a huge part in the later chapters. *grin* 

Yes, I will torture Ron some more and everyone will turn against Harry. What fun. Next chapter…The meeting of the Order of the Phoenix…

Thanks for all the wonderful reviews.

~SA~

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	6. Chapter 6

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A Hero's Defeat

Chapter Six

Charlie and Tonks were of the last to arrive at the meeting. Charlie took his place at the head of the table and Tonks sat to his right. Ginny was beside her and George was to his left. Around the room, Charlie saw the faces of the few Order members left.

Kingsley Shacklebolt, Arabella Figg, Mundungus Fletcher, Neville Longbottom, Pavarti Patil, Angelina Johnson, Dennis Creevey, Vincent Crabbe, Greg Goyle, Marcus Flint, Terry Boot, and Luna Lovegood.

They were all that were left. Everyone else was dead or in Azkaban.

Or had switched sides.

Charlie felt a pang of regret and anger. He had sworn that he would protect them and he hadn't.

"I called this meeting," he began, once everyone had arrived, "to share with you all the news that we received today. Draco Malfoy is dead. 

"As far as we know, Voldemort found out his position as a spy and had him killed. His body arrived on the front steps of the castle this afternoon. Mere hours later, Ron was captured by Death Eaters in Hogsmeade."

"This was confirmed," Ginny said, "by Harry Potter. He approached me said that Voldemort had Ron."

"This," Charlie continued, "along with other things that have been occurring, give up ample evidence that Harry is serving Voldemort in some capacity."

"That's insane," Neville said. "Harry wouldn't do that."

"Neville's right," Goyle said. "Potter may be an idiot at times, but he'd never work with Voldemort for any reason."

"He might," Charlie said, "to save the people he cares about."

Everyone was silent for a few moments. 

"What haven't you told us, Charlie?" Arabella demanded.

"Two years ago, I reported to you that Hermione Granger was dead. I asked that no one else be told about her death." Charlie took a deep breath. "Hermione Granger worked with Voldemort for a time."

"She wouldn't!"

"She did," Tonks said. "I was there. She was at his side."

"Then there was a glamorie spell in place," Luna argued. "Hermione loved Harry; she'd never work with Voldemort."

"She was and she is," Charlie said. Draco confirmed this for us last week. Hermione is stationed in Azkaban."

"But she's Muggle-born," Pavarti said. "Voldemort hates Muggle-borns."

Charlie sighed. "This is getting us no where. The fact is that Hermione Granger is a Death Eater."

"I just can't believe that," Luna said. "Not until I see it."

Charlie waved her off. She was, however, one of the best duelers in the Order and was not a person to be messed with.

"So what does this have to do with Harry?" Neville asked.

"Harry has been studying Dark Arts for some time even before his capture. Even now, he knows things that Voldemort is doing while he is doing them," Ginny said. "I asked him about it today and his answer was clear, logical, and _sane_. He's been catatonic for days, weeks. There is no possible way that he could now these things and not be practicing Dark Magic."

"Just because he practicing Dark Arts," Crabbe said, "doesn't mean that he's the next Voldemort. We went through that second year."

Ginny paled.

"Nevertheless," Charlie said, "Harry is not to be trusted. We are looking for a place to serve as headquarters because I don't think it wise to have so many of us near him."

"And people say I'm crazy," Luna said. 

"Luna's right," Kingsley said. "This is insane. You're talking about Harry Potter, Charlie. I can't believe that he or Hermione would ever work with Voldemort."

"Why else would Voldemort allow a Muggle-born to serve him?" Tonks asked.

"Intelligence. If you remember, Hermione was Head Girl," Crabbe said. "She was the best of our entire class besides Potter."

"And what, pray tell," George asked, "was his best subject?"

Everyone fell silent once more.

"That doesn't mean anything," Luna said.

"You have to _know_ Dark Arts to defend against them," Ginny said.

"So does that mean that you're a Dark Witch?" Luna demanded. "That _is_ what you just said. You know how to defend against Dark Arts…"

"QUIET!" Charlie yelled. "No one here had accused Harry of being the next Voldemort. We just suspect that it _is_ a possibility."

"A possibility?" Luna asked, incredulous. "That is not what you've been saying."

"Luna," George said, exasperated. "Shut up."

Luna stood up. "I will not sit here and listen to all of you accuse our…my friend of something I know he is innocent of. You're accusing the savior of our world of serving Darkness.

"I have one question than. How do any of you plan on defeating Voldemort? How do any of you know that Dark Magic isn't the only way to rid this country of the darkest wizard of all time?"

She glared at all of them before storming out of the room. Goyle stood too and looked sharply at Charlie.

"I'm warning you Weasley, if you ever bring another groundless accusation about Harry Potter to this table, I will remove you from your post." He glared at each of the Weasleys in turn before following Luna out of the room.

Charlie sat there, utterly confused. He could believe that Harry was a Death Eater. Why couldn't anyone else? Potter was no longer the savior of the wizarding world. He was a traitor.

Ginny believed that, as did Tonks and George. What was so hard to believe that Harry Potter could work with Voldemort? 

"Now, as I was saying," he began again, his voice dripping with malice, "we need to find a place to use as headquarters."

"Do what you want," Kingsley said. "You're going to anyway." He too, stood up and left.

Charlie sighed.

~~~

Ron Weasley groaned as he woke up. His head felt like it was about to explode. The only thing he remembered was Harry coming into his cell and spitting out curses.

Harry Potter, the boy-who-lived, was a Death Eater.

Ron would've screamed at the irony if he could have. It just didn't seem possible, but it had always been likely. Harry was always exceptionally good at anything dealing with Dark Arts, but Ron had never seen his actually practice it.

And now, he served Voldemort.

Harry was going to be the next Voldemort. Ron wouldn't be surprised if Harry killed Voldemort just to take his place. It was likely, so terribly likely.

Ron slipped out of consciousness.

~~~

Harry wandered the castle after his meeting at the Shrieking Shack. The _Inimicus_ spell was interesting. He'd have to do some more research on it.

He turned down a corridor when he saw Luna Lovegood running down the hall. Greg Goyle stopped her and spun her to face him. Harry slipped into the shadows and listened.

"Luna," Goyle said. "Don't listen to Weasley."

"Just leave me alone, Greg," Luna pleaded, trying to pull away from him. "I've lost Draco and now they're trying to take one of my few friends from me too."

"Luna, I know that Harry can't be a Death Eater, but running out of the room won't help us prove that Weasley's wrong."

"What's happening to us, Greg? Dumbledore founded the Order to be an object away from the Ministry but now it seems clouded with their politics."

"I know." Goyle sighed. "Something isn't right, Luna. We need to know what."

She nodded. "I need to go, get back to Katherine."

"I'll come with you." He smiled. "I'll take care of you and Katherine, Luna. I promised Draco that I would."

The two walked away from Harry still talking, Luna leaning into her husband's best friend. He would certainly have to have a talk with Draco about this.

Harry pondered the information he had gathered from the brief exchange though. So the Order believed him to be a Death Eater.

Perhaps now was the time to leave.

"No," he whispered. "Not yet."

~~~

"_Ennervate_."

Ron jerked awake, finding himself looking at Voldemort.

"Good evening, Mr. Weasley. I trust you've had a pleasant day."

Ron glared at him as best as he could. "It's been splendid," he said sarcastically.

Voldemort kept his anger in check. "I'm sure. Wormtail, retrieve our other guest. I think Weasley here needs a reminder of who is in charge before he leaves."

Ron forced himself to remain conscious. He wanted to know who the other person was. Only a small part of him believed that it was Harry.

And when Wormtail entered with the other guest, Ron felt his fury threaten to unleash. He had trusted Harry with everything and he'd been working with Voldemort the entire time.

Bastard.

Voldemort laughed.

"_Crucio_."

~~~

Harry returned to the dungeons. He had a bad feeling suddenly about the _Inimicus_ spell. He needed to find if there was a way to counter it because he was sure that something that powerful wouldn't be stopped by _Finite Incantatum_.

Harry heard something behind him and whirled around to see Charlie, Tonks, Ginny, and George.

"Hello, Harry," Charlie said.

"Hiya, Charlie," Harry returned with a senseless grin.

"I have a question for you Harry," George said. "Do you perform Light or Dark Magic?"

"Well…What's your definition of Light and Dark?" Harry asked. He leaned against a suit of armor and smirked at them.

"Harry, be serious," Ginny said.

"I am."

George glared at him. "Light Magic helps us. It's good. Dark Magic is evil."

"Okay," Harry grinned. "Now what's your definition of good and evil?" Harry was having trouble to contain his mirth. If the situation wasn't so dire for his cover, he'd be laughing.

"Harry!" Ginny cried. "Stop this. You're not insane. You can't be."

"Such a big assumption for such a little girl," Harry replied icily. "None of you really know anything. There are no such things as good or evil anymore."

"Harry…" Ginny began. But Harry continued in a slow, dead voice.

"Depends on the time of the day," Harry said. "When the sun is out, it's _light_ magic and when the moon is out, it's _dark_ magic." He shrugged. "So, you _could_ say I practice both."

George sighed.

"Harry, we want to help you," Tonks began.

Harry smiled again. "No one can help me, Tonks. No one." He turned away from them and continued down the hall.

"What about Hermione?" Charlie called out.

Harry stopped and spun to face his former friends. "She's gone," he said coldly. "And if any of you ever mention her again, I will not be responsible for my actions."

****

A/N: Okay, here's this. Three chapters in three days. That's gotta be a record or something for me. Thank you all for the reviews, they make me smile.

Ta

~SA~


	7. Chapter 7

**A Hero's Defeat**

**Chapter Seven**

Ron forced himself to stay conscious through the torture inflicted by Harry and Voldemort. He couldn't understand what was going on, but he was vaguely aware that the curses had stopped. He looked up. Voldemort was now alone.

"You've held out much longer than anyone else in your family," Voldemort sneered.

"Like you would know the meaning of the word _family_," Ron shot back.

"Indeed, I do not."

Ron glared at him. He couldn't understand what Voldemort had just said.

"Sadly, though Weasley, I'm afraid this visit must be cut short. You will be returning to your friends and family at Hogwarts. Do give them my _love_."

* * *

Harry returned to the dungeons. They just had to mention Hermione. He didn't know where she was, but he could wager a guess that it was somewhere far away from England. He'd told her that he never wanted to see her again and she'd left, probably back to Voldemort's side to do what Severus had once done before he'd been found out as a spy, and _killed_.

That had been one of the worst times in his life. He had always believed that Hermione was too good of a person to join Voldemort's ranks, but she had. It didn't matter that she'd done it because of him, to save him. It was noble actually, but she had done evil things for the Dark Lord.

Hermione had taken a place in Voldemort's Inner Circle when Severus had been supposedly killed. She knew how to make many deadly potions and despite the fact that she was Muggle-born, Voldemort had accepted her.

And then he'd taunted Harry about his _friend_.

He had loved Hermione and he still did to a point, but he'd never be able to trust her again. She had said she'd made those choices to try to save him from Voldemort, but she was too smart for that. Something else had been going on and Harry had never been able to figure out what it was. Hermione had betrayed him, betrayed everything he'd worked for his entire life and he didn't know why.

So what _had_ driven her to the snake?

* * *

Ginny walked back to her rooms followed by Charlie, Tonks, and George. They needed to talk again after their encounter with Harry in the hall. He seemed to be two different people and that scared Ginny.

What had happened to him while he was with Voldemort?

At times he could be cold and distant, yet at others, he could be almost like the person he was before his fourth year. Ginny had loved that Harry, but now she didn't know what she felt towards him.

Why were things so complicated?

"We have to do something about him," Tonks said. "He's going to do something and he could very easily bring Voldemort here."

"Probably," George said. "Tonks, you should check out the Death Eater activity."

Tonks nodded. Everyone looked at Charlie. They all sat in silence for several minutes. Charlie was their leader now. He had been for a long time and no one in _that_ room would question him. The rest of the Order nearly despised him and the decisions he made.

"I don't want anyone alone with Harry for any reason," Charlie said. "He could be dangerous."

"He _is_ dangerous," Ginny muttered.

"Charlie," Tonks said, "do you think Ron's dead?"

He didn't look at anyone. "Yes, or he soon will be. No one survives Voldemort."

Ginny looked away. The only person who had survived Voldemort was Harry and it had left him broken and a servant to the monster. It seemed worse than death to serve one such as Voldemort. Ginny stopped that line of thought and looked at her brother. No, it wasn't possible.

* * *

Draco was still resting peacefully when Severus Snape looked into the room where he'd been taken. Severus quietly closed the door and went downstairs. He needed to prepare. Once Harry told the Order that he _was_ a Death Eater, he'd have little time and he'd need to run if was going to get to Azkaban without anyone from the Order knowing of his plans.

Few people knew the truth about how Azkaban was being used or what was really going on. Even the loyal Death Eaters didn't know. Except maybe Malfoy and Wormtail. The Lestranges probably knew. And he, Harry, and Draco knew and Hermione Granger had known.

Severus had always wondered what Harry had said to her to make her leave. The young man was so closed off and he had been since Voldemort's return to power. That was why it was so easy for him to play the part of being insane. Part of it, Severus knew, was Harry playing on the worst fears of everyone in the Order. They all believed Harry would be their savior from Voldemort.

He would be, just not in the way they thought.

Severus continued his way down to the lowermost basement of his family's home. He had potions to make before all hell broke loose. Their time was growing short and Severus wondered how many more people he had come to care about would die before it was all over.

* * *

_There was once an ancient magic that, though Dark, was widely used by all witches and wizards. No one knew how Dark it was considered to be. It was first used on elves to make them become servants. It stole Souls._

Hermione Granger read over the words several times. She read the spell and the notes on how to perform it and after several hours, she was positive that she knew how to accomplish the task.

Before she tried it on the intended victim, however, she needed to test it and she had just the perfect _rat _to test the spell on. Her face twisted in a cold, almost cruel smile as she shut the book she'd been reading and left the room. Where would the rat be at this time of night?

She walked the halls of the ornate Malfoy Mansion. She, being a lover of old architecture, had fallen in love with the mansion the first time she'd entered its protective walls. The house reminded her of Hogwarts in a way, only this place was much more exquisite than her former school.

Looking at these walls, however wonderful, served as a painful reminder to the life she'd given up. Her life, her love, everything to do these few tasks to thwart Voldemort's plans. She hadn't even been able to tell Harry the truth about her actions and there wasn't a doubt in her mind that he still believed she had betrayed him.

Where was the rat hiding?

* * *

Luna Lovegood-Malfoy was escorted into her home by her husband's closest friend, Greg Goyle. She was distraught over her husband's death and she refused to let him do anything. She needed to be alone, to remember. He left with a promise to stop by later.

As Luna walked towards her daughter's room, she thought about the meeting. She had been surprised by Harry's interest in Dark Arts, but never questioned if he would join Voldemort. She knew he wouldn't. In a way, she saw that Harry and Draco were alike. Both would do anything to win the war. Draco became a Death Eater just to become a spy and Harry studied Dark Arts most likely to find a way to kill Voldemort.

None of it surprised her anymore. She felt confident Harry would never work with the monster.

But Hermione. Luna had been wrong about her. She'd thought that Hermione was a Light witch. Besides, Hermione was a Muggle-born. Voldemort would never accept her.

What had been going on? It wasn't making any sense to her and she was too upset to focus on any of it but she felt that she needed to do something. She walked up the stairs to check on her and Draco's five month old daughter, Katherine.

The nursery was decorated in soft shades of yellow and pink. Luna smiled sadly as she remembered the discussions she and Draco had had about the color of the room. He, being the perfect Slytherin, said that the room should be green and silver. Luna had wanted blue. They'd argued for a long time before Harry had suggested yellow.

It was decided upon that day and they had asked Harry to be Katherine's godfather. Everyone else thought that they were crazy to leave a child in the possible care of someone who was insane, but Luna didn't think Harry was insane at all. Those same people had always said she was insane and they had been wrong and so the logical conclusion was that they were wrong about Harry too.

She knew what insanity was and he was far from it. But why would he fake it? Why?

Luna fell asleep in the nursery watching the rise and fall of her daughter's chest and dreamt about the past and hoped for the future.

As she slept, she didn't realize that the wards protecting the house from Voldemort's Death Eaters fell and black cloaked figures began to appear.

* * *

Harry woke with a start. Something wasn't right. Someone was in danger, but who? Besides Ron he could think of anyone who would be in immediate danger from Voldemort.

The boy who lived paced the dungeons that had once belonged to his most hated professor.

Then a thought occurred to him. Draco _was_ supposedly dead, which meant that Luna was alone and if a Death Eater betrayed Voldemort, the entire family was to pay for the crime with their lives.

_Luna and Katherine._

Harry bolted to the door and rushed towards his rooms. He didn't care if anyone saw him. He had to get to Luna and Draco's mansion.

But when he arrived in his room, he quickly realized he wouldn't be able to leave anytime soon and Luna and Katherine would die.

* * *

Time seemed to stand still as Death Eater broke through the remaining wards surrounding the small mansion. A simple spell opened the door and the group of five walked inside.

"Search this floor," one said, obviously the leader of the group. "You two go upstairs. Kill the woman, bring the child."

The Death Eaters complied with their commander's orders and quickly went to do their job.

In baby Katherine's nursery, Luna Malfoy still slept unaware of the events taking shape around her and her daughter, unaware of a prophecy being born.

* * *

Harry was having the worst luck with the Weasleys. Ron, Ginny, and now George. Harry fought the urge to sigh.

"Hello, George," he said tiredly, hoping that the message got across. It didn't.

"I want you to stay away from my sister, away from everyone else as well," George said. "You're up to something."

The man sitting in front of him had come a long way since his youth when all he had cared about was the next prank he could pull on the Slytherins. Now he wore a suit and was looking very much like a Muggle businessman. Harry suppressed another sigh and moved to his desk aware that George had visibly stiffened as if readying for an attack.

"I have to leave," Harry said. "I won't be back." He opened the desk drawer and pulled out a box. Opening it, he extracted a necklace.

"Are you working with Voldemort?"

"Do you want to hear the truth or what you would like to believe?"

"You are," George stated. He stood up and pulled his wand. "You're a Death Eater."

"You said it, I didn't." Harry put the necklace into his pocket. "Believe what you want to believe, George. You hate me because you blame me for everyone in your family being dead. Trust me, it no longer matters how much you say or do to me because of it because none of it plagues me more than my own conscience."

Harry took advantage of George's shocked state and left the room. He ran to the Forbidden Forest and Disapparated.


	8. Chapter 8

**Chapter Eight**

Harry Potter never took chances anymore. Too many people could get hurt if he was wrong. So when he found himself in front of Luna's house and saw the five Death Eaters, he debated on what to do. He knew that he couldn't leave Luna and Katherine defenseless but he still couldn't walk blindly into a situation where the odds were against him.

Without another thought, he shifted form.

* * *

"It is to be known," George said to what remained of his family, "that Harry Potter is, indeed, a Death Eater. He confirmed it to me a few minutes ago before he left, undoubtedly, to go to Azkaban to be with his lord."

Silence closed the room, suffocated all present. No one moved, for fear that they had, perhaps, heard George wrong, but the Minister didn't falter, didn't say anything. He just collapsed into a chair, exhausted.

Not a person in the room could say anything. The repercussions of Harry Potter being a Death Eater were disastrous. He was the only hope of the world and now he served Voldemort.

Hope was lost and the world would fall to the Dark Lord. They all knew it. There was nothing left to fight for anymore and no one to protect because everyone with any sense had already gone to Voldemort.

* * *

_Hogwarts was in mourning. The day before, hundreds of Death Eaters had marched upon the school and fought to take over. Teachers and students were dead, but none of that could measure up to the sacrifice made by Albus Dumbledore._

_The ancient wizard had stood before the Dark Lord and had died. The only person Voldemort had ever truly fear was dead and now all hope rest in Harry Potter. _

_After Dumbledore's death, the young man, barely of age, had retreated to the dungeons of the school to further his studies of the Dark Arts. No one had known why he was really down there. No one could have known what happened that day after the attack._

No one, except Severus Snape.

Severus sighed as he stirred the potion he was working on. It was a difficult potion, a recent discovery made that could end the after effects of a Cruciatus Curse. He figured that they would need something when Harry decided to go into Azkaban.

He looked over at the phoenix that was watching him. Fawkes. The bird that always seemed to know everything. It always had even before Dumbledore had been killed. It was highly unnerving at times.

"We have a small problem."

Severus looked up from his potion to see Greg Goyle standing in the doorway.

"What is it?"

"Luna and Katherine. They're in danger, but Luna refused to come with me," Goyle said.

"Where's Harry?"

"Last I checked, still at Hogwarts. Weasley thinks that he's working for Voldemort."

"I told him to confirm their suspicions." Severus sighed. "He's readying himself to raid Azkaban to look for Black."

"Is he suicidal?"

Severus shrugged. "Possibly, but that doesn't matter. Go check on Luna and Katherine. If something seems wrong, take them to Grimmauld Place." Goyle nodded and left.

Severus finished the potion and poured it into vials. _When did everything get so complicated?

* * *

_

Darkness spread through his bones like the cold of the stone floor. He had no sense of time anymore, so he had no idea of how long he'd been in the cell. Voldemort had left hours before…or was it days? He wasn't sure anymore.

The only thing he was sure about, was that he was ready to die. He had prepared for death and he wished it would come soon and take him home to his friends. This life was far too hard and the man knew he had nothing else to live for. Death was waiting for him and him, for death.

* * *

"When did this happen?" the woman asked.

"Last night," a male voice answered.

"Where is Harry?"

"We're not sure. He left Hogwarts after telling Weasley that he served the Dark Lord."

"And Hermione is at Azkaban?"

"Yes."

"Leave, Anarkas."

"Yes, milady." Anarkas bowed and left the room. The woman sat, looking thoughtful for several minutes.

"What are you up to, my child? Yes, you are a powerful mage, but you are not ready to fight Voldemort, not yet, not until the circle is complete. Jupe!" she called out.

"Yes, milady?" a soft, childlike voice asked.

"Prepare to travel. Have Anarkas find Severus and Harry, I wish to speak with them both."

"Yes, milady," Jupe answered and rushed out of the room.

"Is that wise, Makara?" a cloaked figure asked, stepping out of one of the few shadows in the room. "After all, you yourself are in no shape to protect the boy."

"You underestimate him, Tom, and you underestimate me."

He laughed, a shrill, frightening laugh, but Makara didn't even look at him.

"I underestimate no one. Perhaps _you_ underestimate _me_."

"When the battle wages, Tom, I will be by Harry's side. The circle will complete, but I will not tell you how."

"We shall see, milady," he said and then he Disapparated.

"Oh yes, Voldemort, we shall see who will win this battle. My kingdom will not fall to the drow." She stood and with a small movement of her hand, the chair she'd occupied disappeared.

"What am I to do, Father?" she asked of the air around her. "I cannot protect our people much longer. They grow weary as each day passes. Tom Riddle is prepared to kill Harry and I fear that I cannot protect him for much longer. My own Life Force is growing weak. If I should fall, who will protect our people from the drow? Who will protect Harry?"

She fell to her knees, her head bowed, waiting for an answer.

"Do not fear, my daughter. Young Harry is more powerful than you believe. He will be even more so when he finds his godfather."

"How can I help him, Father?"

"You must save Sirius. That is all you can do, Makara. With his help and with yours, Tom will not be able to win this battle."

Makara took a deep, shuddering breath. "Thank you, Father," she said before standing up.

* * *

Goyle Apparated to Luna's house just in time to see a griffon run inside. Without thinking of the consequences, he followed Harry into the house, his wand ready for a fight.

But all was quiet. Harry transformed and nodded to the stairs. Goyle followed and they silently ascended to the second floor of the mansion. Goyle went down the hall in one direction and was vaguely aware that Harry went the opposite direction.

They had to protect Luna and Katherine.

They had to be safe.

Because Gregory Goyle would accept nothing less. He had sworn to protect Luna and Katherine and he would keep that oath until his own death.

* * *

"We are ready, milady," Jupe said. "Anarkas has already gone."

Makara nodded distantly. Something was wrong. She could feel it in the air. Someone would die before dawn.

She bade farewell to her people and began her descent into darkness. It would be a short descent, she knew, but it was something she had to do. She knew she wouldn't survive but her people would if Harry Potter succeeded in his goal. Her people and the fate of the wizarding world were the only things that mattered and Makara would do anything to make sure the two worlds survived Tom Riddle.

* * *

Lights exploded around Harry as he walked into the room at the end of the second floor hall. He dodged out of the path of a killing curse and rolled to the other wall and took his battle stance ready to fight.

"Hello, Potter," a familiar voice said.

"Should have known," Harry replied. "_Evanesco_."

The man shrugged. "You must do better than that, Potter. _Granlito_."

Harry dodged the curse with a small sigh. "I would have thought that you would actually be a challenge, Malfoy. It seems that I was mistaken." Harry threw two more curses at Malfoy, Senior in rapid succession. One hit and the other bounced off the wall.

"_Avada Ked_…" Malfoy began, wand raised.

"_Stupefy_!" Goyle said, walking into the room. "That was intelligent," he told Harry.

"It would seem," Harry replied. "Is there anyone else?"

"I stunned two down the hall, but I haven't found any more. I haven't seen Luna or Katherine."

"Katherine's room is upstairs. Let's go." Goyle nodded and they walked up the flight of stairs to the third floor. Harry watched. The other two Death Eaters had to be on the third floor. He led the way into Katherine's bedroom and was at the door when an explosion sent him and Goyle flying through the other wall. Harry pushed himself and Goyle out of the path of Cruciatus curses. One caught Harry but he worked past it and threw another hex at the nearest Death Eater.

Harry and Goyle both got to the feet and Harry fought to keep his balance. He was far too tired to be fighting this much in one night.

"Avada Kedavra!" Goyle yelled out and one of the Death Eaters fell. The other, seeing his fallen comrade, Disapparated.

* * *

_'The elven lands were once considered untouchable. They were isolated and hidden by the most complex of elven magic. Elves are magic, so these charms could not be detected by human witches and wizards. Unless those humans were being helped by drow._

_Drow or 'dark elves' as they may be known are elves that have been cast from their cousins for serving darkness in any way. Since the first war against Lord Voldemort, all drow have joined his ranks and have vowed revenge on their 'light' cousins._

_For many years, the drow worked to create their own ranks, their own lands, but after Lord Voldemort's rebirth, they gained a new objective-to take the lands of those cousins who had cast them out; Kylmisti._

_They could not, however, make a move on elven lands that were protected by wizards so they waited. Lord Voldemort would help them achieve their goal._

_But the Dark Lord would not come. He refused to help those who had not helped him when he was bodiless. The drow were alone in their battle, but they did not despair, because they knew they would succeed._

_The battle began when Lord Valerian died and his daughter, Makara was new to the task of leading the elves. The drow came in quick and killed hundreds of their kin. Makara herself was badly injured while trying to protect others. The leader of the dark elves knew that when Lady Makara died, he would control Kylmisti._

_He withdrew and began to wait. Soon Makara would die and all would be his. He would not have to wait long because others were planning her death as well. _

_Two months after the dark elves attacked, Kylmisti was breached again, this time by wizards, by Lord Voldemort. He requested to speak with Lady Makara alone, something she did not want to do. None know what was said during that meeting, but it was reported that Lord Voldemort was pleased afterwards. _

_What is known, however, that one week after the meeting, Lord Voldemort called the drow to him and forced them to make an agreement not to attack Kylmisti. They agreed, but for a price._

_Since these events, Kylmisti has fallen from notice of the wizards. All this is known now is Lady Makara is still very ill and quick to tire. Some claim that she hasn't much longer to live. Despite this, she continues to thwart Lord Voldemort's plans and continues to aid Harry Potter for some unknown reason._

The young man laid his quill down and looked at the words he had written. With a smile of satisfaction he took the parchment across the room and laid it one a table topped with other scattered pieces of parchment. His last words had been written in blood and he only hoped their significance would reach the minds of those who needed awakening to what was really happening.

"May all be well, my friends. May the Light shine upon you until Death."

And with those words, the man fell to the floor, dead.


	9. Chapter 9

**Chapter 9**

"You look exhausted," Goyle said.

Harry shrugged. "Sleep is not easy to come by anymore."

"Ask Severus for a strong sleeping potion. You'll need it before we go into Azkaban."

Harry sat down at the table. He'd just checked on Luna and Katherine and added additional wards around number 12 Grimmauld Place. He would leave them there until such a time he could move them to Snape's manor without putting anyone in danger. As it was, half the people in their group were supposed to be dead and Harry knew Voldemort wanted Luna and Katherine to follow them.

"When are we going to Azkaban?"

Torn away from his musings, Harry looked up. Greg Goyle had been loyal to him since the beginning. At first Harry had been suspicious. Goyle, Senior was one of Voldemort's loyal followers and Harry had believed the son would follow. Greg had fooled his father and everyone else watching. Yes, he had followed a Death Eater, but that Death Eater had been a spy. Severus had drawn Greg into the Order of the Phoenix and later into the group Harry formed. Harry would win the war but it would be without the Order or the Ministry.

"Within the week," Harry answered. "I would rather not do it without Makara's aid, but we haven't much choice. We have to take Azkaban from Voldemort."

"We need someone on the inside."

Harry smiled. "Severus has someone."

"Who?"

"An old friend who has become an enemy."

* * *

Hermione walked the dark streets of London looking over her shoulder every few minutes. Even though she had an Invisibility cloak wrapped around her she knew some charms could render it useless. Her walk was almost a run when she saw her destination ahead of her. She had to warn them. She couldn't lose what family she did have left. At least the house was supposed to belong to her. If anyone was watching, they would think she was visiting to perhaps, turn it into another refuge for the Death Eaters.

Anyone watching would be very wrong. The wards reset themselves as she passed through the barrier. By the time she got to the door it was open and inviting her inside.

She had only been to the manor a few times in the past, preferring to meet in places with less chance of her being seen. She closed the door behind her and took off the cloak.

"Granger, what are you doing here?"

Hermione turned. She should have known they wouldn't let Draco die. "Hello, Draco," she said. He was standing at the base of the stairs. "It's good to see you alive."

"What are you doing here?"

She smiled. So he didn't know. It had been a good idea. Unlike Dumbledore's Order, where all spies knew each other, Harry had arranged it so that only he, Severus, or Goyle knew who was spying. Hermione only knew about Draco because she had been the one to question him under Voldemort's orders. He, of course, wouldn't remember his questioning except for the pain his interrogator had inflicted. She could tell he was still in pain. He was leaning against the wall for support and he was too pale and shaking.

"Hermione."

She turned. A worried smile crossed her face. "Father, we have a problem."

"_Father_?" Draco asked. "You two are working together, Severus?"

Hermione turned back to Draco. "How else would you have gotten here rather than a funeral at Hogwarts, Draco?"

Severus stepped forward and placed his hand on Hermione's shoulder. "Indeed. Hermione has been spying for Harry and I for several years. Yes, she is my daughter. How else would Voldemort accept her?"

Draco looked ready to faint. It seemed he was shocked by the revelation. Hermione could understand. She hadn't wanted to accept the truth when she'd discovered it either. It had been a shock to everyone involved and it had given Voldemort the upper hand in dealing with them.

"Now, Hermione, what is so important you must risk coming here?"

* * *

He had to be going insane now. How long had he been in here? Hours, days? He lost track. Seconds were lost in a blur of cold and pain. Who would come to torture him next? Harry, Voldemort, someone else?

Ron tried to move but it hurt far too much. What would they do to him next? Why couldn't they just let him die?

But he knew. Harry was the one doing all this. They had forced Harry to be the savior of their world and he had rebelled and now he would make everyone pay.

* * *

"Harry, Greg? What's going on here?"

Harry and Greg turned to the door of the kitchen. Luna was standing there with Katherine in her arms. Harry jumped up and took his goddaughter, leading Luna to a chair.

"Luna, there are a few things we need to explain and we haven't much time. Harry, perhaps you should start."

Harry shifted so he could hold Katherine in a comfortable position. "Luna, first I should tell you that Draco is not dead. Right now he'd recovering from the after effects of his questioning with Severus Snape."

"But Snape's dead," Luna said, shaking her head. "He died four years ago."

"Yes, but no. He's very much alive and he and I have been working together since long before Hogwarts fell."

Luna looked as if she were about to cry but Harry pressed on, telling her the truth about everything. Now that she was a target of Voldemort's assassins she could never go out unprotected and right now, Harry couldn't spare anyone to protect her. By the time he was finished Katherine was asleep again and Luna appeared to be in shock.

"So…all this time…"

Harry nodded. "George and Charlie, yes."

"I never would have thought it," she said. Harry nodded and passed Katherine to Greg who took the girl out of the kitchen.

"Luna, you're a very powerful witch and you're a healer. I need both right now. We're planning to raid Azkaban and free as many prisoners as we can."

"I'll do what ever I can, Harry. You saved Draco for me."

"No," he said. "Our spy did that. Tell Greg I needed to go get something from Hogwarts. I'll be back soon."

She nodded and he stood up. He didn't want to leave her but he needed to get the diagrams Snape had done of Azkaban. Harry wasn't sure whether he'd left them in the dungeons or in his own room. He called for his Invisibility cloak and put it into a pocket before leaving.

* * *

Ginny walked through the halls of Hogwarts, half blinded by tears. How could Harry be a Death Eater? How could he have fooled them all for so long? Voldemort had won the war now. Even if Harry killed Voldemort, which she doubted, he would become the next Dark Lord.

Not paying attention, Ginny didn't realize she'd ended up outside Harry's room. Maybe there was a clue inside. She whispered the password and the door opened. She'd had the room decorated like Gryffindor tower. She'd thought it would bring him back to them, to her. They had never had a chance. How long had he been with Voldemort?

Ginny sat down at the desk looking over the parchment and books scattered across the top. One book caught her eye. It was a potions book. Why would Harry have a book about advanced potions? He had hated the subject. She opened the book and saw Harry's familiar scrawl.

_Three days. They've been gone three days. Severus and I are leaving for the elven kingdom Kylmisti later tonight. We'll go under the cover of darkness. No one can know where we're going or why. If the spies in the Order find out and tell Voldemort…We can't let him know we've figured out his secret. With Makara's help, maybe we can find a way to kill Voldemort._

Ginny felt like a dementor had entered the room. She was cold and couldn't breath. The entry was dated the morning of Harry's disappearance. He had planned it. Had he planned his return as well? She flipped through the pages and stopped at another entry.

_…Severus pulled Hermione into this. He didn't want to, but we made him understand. We need someone near Voldemort and who closer than his potions maker? Severus doesn't want to put his daughter in danger, but Hermione is her own person. She always has been. I'll play my part. Hermione is a Death Eater. She is the enemy._

And another.

_Draco confirmed our suspicions. Voldemort has been holding George and Charlie under Imperious. I had hoped maybe, perhaps we'd been wrong. Now that it's been confirmed, I ran the spell. Draco was right. Only George and Charlie, though. Ginny, Ron, and Tonks are clear. I don't like it, but I'll have to stay in the castle. They can't find out what is really going on._

Ginny wanted to cry. Harry's words couldn't be true. If they were, then it meant he wasn't insane. If the words were true, Harry was planning on killing Voldemort.

If the words were true…George and Charlie were telling Voldemort everything.

She looked through the entries again. Hermione was Snape's daughter? Snape was alive? Nothing made sense. This all had to be Harry's fantasy world. Still, she found herself wanting to turn the page again and find another entry.

_Sirius is the key. I can't move forward with this plan until I bring Sirius back. I have to find a way to get to Grimmauld Place. We need to plan. _

Could Harry be at Grimmauld Place now? Ginny didn't know what to think anymore. This had to be Harry's insanity. Certainly no one sane would think these things. Sirius and Snape were dead. Hermione was a Death Eater and had Muggle parents…No, no it wasn't possible. If Hermione was a real Muggle born Voldemort would have killed her. If she was Snape's daughter, however, she would be half-blood or more, Voldemort would accept her into his circle.

Ginny's body shook with sobs. None of this could be true. It just meant Harry was really insane and it wasn't just a game a Death Eater was trying to play. Harry couldn't really believe any of these words, could he?

The sound of the door opening scared her out of her thoughts. She looked up and saw him. Harry was standing before her with his cloak draped over his forearm. She wanted to disappear. The book dropped from her cold fingers. Harry crossed the room and picked it up. He flipped through it, not speaking.

"I knew I should have charmed this in a different way."

Her breath caught. So lucid, sane, and laughable. "Harry?"

He slid the book into his pocket. "I didn't want you to find out about this, Ginny. I tried to protect you from it. I failed in that as I've failed in so many other ways." He pulled out his wand and shot locking and silencing spells at the door. "So we can be alone. Ginny, you have to believe what I tell you. Ron's life depends on it."

* * *

"Harry must know of this," Severus said after Hermione had finished her story. He had feared Voldemort would figure out how to steal souls. It was an ancient and dangerous magic, but it was effective. If Voldemort accomplished it no one would be safe. It took longer to steal a soul than it did for a dementor to take it but the person taking the soul didn't have to be in constant contact with his victim.

If they were going to take Azkaban they needed to do it soon with or without Makara's help. A body without a soul could be possessed and could hold an enemy.

"I need to get back before my absence is noticed," Hermione said, standing up.

"Don't go back," Severus said.

"You have too few spies already," she answered him and he damned his own stubbornness. He'd passed it on to her. Either that or it was the Gryffindor stupidity. He wasn't sure which but he cursed both now. He didn't want her to go back. It was far too dangerous. Voldemort knew she was his daughter and would suspect defection. Better for her to disappear now than to be there when Voldemort wanted to question her about her loyalties. Without saying he tested her Occlumens shields. Still in place and strong. He thanked whatever deities were listening.

"Be careful," he sighed. "If trouble begins, portkey out."

"I know," she answered. She leaned over and kissed him on the cheek. "I'll be in touch."

Severus and Draco sat at the table for a long time after Hermione had left. They hadn't prepared for Voldemort to be in such close relations with the drow to learn their soul stealing magic. If Hermione was right, they would soon lose all the prisoners in Azkaban. Severus didn't like what he would have to do but they would have to get everyone out of Azkaban. This was no longer a simple mission to rescue Black. This would be the first battle of the final war.

He stood up and walked to the fireplace. He was aware of Draco watching him. He hadn't answered any of the questions he knew his former student had but now was not the time to explain anything. He lit a fire and threw some floo powder into the flames.

"Godric's Hollow."

* * *

The man huddled in the corner of the room. He knew the other occupants thought him to be asleep or unconscious but he was very much aware of who was there and what was going on. The voices spoke and he was able to give names to his tormentors this time.

"Ah, Hermione, you've returned."

Hermione? He only knew one person named Hermione. She was dead. She'd been killed by Lucius Malfoy. Tortured by Voldemort. It couldn't be the Hermione he knew and loved. It couldn't be Harry's best friend. She was dead. Dead before he'd been sent into this hell.

"I always do, Lucius," the person called Hermione answered.

"Where did you go?"

"I had to look up something in the Snape library."

"No sign of Potter anywhere about?"

"If I'd seen him do you think I'd be here?"

Lucius laughed. "Indeed. Join me tonight."

"Has the procedure worked?"

What procedure? What was going on? He must be hearing them wrong. Yes…yes Voldemort was trying to trick him. Bring a woman in and call her Hermione and he'd release himself. Well Voldemort was wrong.

"With remarkable results. I thought we would be needed to break Weasley but Black here has done it for us." The woman called Hermione laughed.

"Good." There was a long pause. He waited for more torture but none came. He heard the locks click into place and risked lifting his head to look up. He was alone again. Alone with his thoughts but he didn't want to think.

Without a sound the man shifted form.

* * *

_Author's Note: I'm sorry I haven't updated this in such a long time, but I lost all the notes I had for this story and didn't have the heart to try to rewrite them all again. But now I've gotten some fresh ideas and I'm back to writing so I'll try to update this and the others more often._


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